The present invention relates to solar energy collection systems and more particularly to linear-focused solar thermal energy collecting systems wherein the collector and indeed, the entire system, is collapsible and may be easily stored or moved to another location.
In the field of solar thermal energy collection, much effort has been expended to devise an efficient and economical solar thermal energy concentrator. Permanent installations utilize relatively expensive structures and installation methods. Nevertheless, the cost of the systems appears to be justifiable because it is amortized over the long lifetime of the system.
Frequently a need arises for a temporary solar energy collection system. Installing a system that utilizes expensive structures and installation methods cannot be justified on a temporary basis. Situations such as meeting peak requirements, farm and agricultural drying, supplying space heat or hot water, preheating combustion air as a means for effecting fuel savings, and heat at remote construction sites are some of the examples of where temporary solar thermal energy collection systems may be utilized to great advantage.
Portable solar thermal energy collectors of the inflatable type have been suggested. An example of an inflatable solar thermal energy collector can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,091 issued to H. T. Sleeper, Jr. on Mar. 17, 1964.
These systems, as exemplified by the Sleeper patent are still too expensive for the amount of heat they produce. The Sleeper inflatable collector, for example, besides a reflecting concentrator utilizes a concentrator lens as an integral part of the collector, thereby substantially increasing the manufacturing cost of the collector.